Several years ago, I was asked by a colleague to take a continuing education course with her near Calistoga, California. You might recognize the name of this town from the name brand of mineral water that comes from the aquifers in and around Calistoga. Calistoga is a small town nestled in the Upper Napa Valley of California. 500 years ago, the Wappo Indians discovered its geyser springs. The Wappo tribe traveled to the source to soak in the hot mineral pools and, due to the health benefits they claimed to enjoy, called the region "Tu-la-halusi...land of health-giving springs." Years later in the 1860's, during the gold rush, California pioneer and entrepreneur Sam Brannan founded the present day town of Calistoga.
About a month before the course began, I decided I really didn't want to take the course. I committed to sharing the lodging expenses and didn't want to leave my colleague "hanging"with the expenses. Being the good friend that I am, I decided to go anyway reasoning that it would be an adventure. We flew into SFO and began our drive up to Calistoga. It was a beautiful drive following the wine train route through Napa valley. We arrived in Calistoga and proceeded to drive the winding road around the nearby foothills to our seminar destination, Harbin Hot Springs. The entrance to the resort consisted of a densely forested road leading up to a kiosk similar to what I've seen before at the entrance of State Parks. The sign at the entrance directed us to check in at the kiosk and warned us that no cameras, cell phones, illegal drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or fires of any sort were permitted at Harbin Hot Springs-cool. We parked the car and walked up to the kiosk to check in. Being the consummate observer, I couldn't help noticing the two men standing ahead of us in line. Both had identical short, shorts on with fingernails and toenails painted the same ebony black color-obviously a couple-San Francisco-OK now it makes sense. Then one of the waiting duo, raised his leg to lean on the upper step of the kiosk. Jewels (as in family) were liberated in full view of all waiting in the queue. I jabbed my friend in the ribs and turned to snicker a bit wondering why in heavens name if he was going to wear such short shorts, he didn't have any underwear on? The answer to my question came sooner than I expected. We checked in and proceeded to drive to the parking lot. There in full view and splendor of the onlookers was a be speckled man wearing a safari-like hat applying sunscreen lotion to his body-ALL of his body. I looked at my friend and asked out loud, "What kind of place is this anyway?" To this my friend replied,"Oh, didn't I tell you, this is a clothing optional resort." The devil is always in the details.
Yes, I got to spend the whole week with many naked people while my colleague went to the seminar in another part of the resort (where people were clothed). There was little clothing to be seen with the exception of the clothes that remained on my body. Many of the anatomical myths and beliefs I held before visiting Harbin were proven wrong; after all I couldn't help seeing what was all around me (with the exception of the dining hall where clothing was required-awesome). The good, the bad and really too much information frolicking in the many natural aquifer fed pools available at Harbin and lathering up in the outdoor showers.
When I wasn't playing the role of a voyageur, I soaked in the many pools available at Harbin and decided to learn what I could about the place and the mineral baths there. I learned that Harbin Hot Springs was named after James M. Harbin, believed to have settled on this land around 1856. By 1870, Richard Williams had built the Harbin Springs Health and Pleasure Resort on this location, featuring a hotel building built in the hillside below the springs. In 1972, Harbin Hot Springs was acquired by Robert Hartley, and was in turn sold to Heart Consciousness Church, which now operates Harbin as a nonprofit retreat and workshop center.
The health benefits of soaking in the mineral springs are documented in the scientific study of the therapeutic benefits of natural mineral waters called balneology. Balneologists in Europe and Japan have studied the healthful effects of geothermally heated mineral waters for many years. Here are a few things they’ve discovered:
Soaking increases your blood circulation and cell
oxygenation. (That’s the rejuvenating effect.)
Soaking stimulates your metabolism. (That’s the revitalizing
effect.)
Soaking helps to balance many of your body’s natural
systems. (That’s the rebalancing effect.)
Soaking can reduce pain and increase mobility. (That’s the
feel-good effect.)
But you don’t have to take the scientists’ word for it. You can conduct
your very own scientific study. Just visit Harbin Hot Springs or any of the geothermally heated mineral baths in the world and soak in the water. Remember, though to ask about the details-BEFORE you go!
CHEERS!
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